Machesney Park poises to spur development at Speedway Auto Mall, Perryville intersection

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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MACHESNEY PARK — Plans are taking shape to spur new development at the Speedway Auto Mall property, bringing new restaurants and retail business to land in front of its massive showroom.

The village may create a business development district at the nearly 14-acre Speedway Auto Mall site, 1590 West Lane Road, as well as a second district northeast of the intersection of Perryville and West Lane roads. In both areas, an additional 1% sales tax would be levied with the revenue designated to be put back toward development work. The tax would not apply to titled property, meaning it wouldn’t add cost to vehicles sold at the Auto Mall.

“The cost to redevelop properties has skyrocketed, especially the last four years with the cost of building materials and labor,” said Village Administrator James Richter II. “These economic incentive tools help us to stay competitive with other areas — and Rockford for that matter — so that we can foster development and redevelopment here.”

JR Mecum, president of Speedway Auto Mall, said the village approached him about the potential for development at the property. He said they’re working in partnership to bring businesses that would bring more traffic to the dealership and generate tax revenue for the village.

That could mean restaurants and other businesses on the land in front of the Auto Mall and on the east end of the 2-acre building that’s stocked with vehicles, including some classic cars.

“There’s about 8 acres that we see that we can develop and make work for stronger business in this area,” Mecum said.

Mecum said he can’t disclose yet who has discussed potential development of the property, but he said he wants to make sure the use is a good fit. He said he was first approached by a car wash company two years ago and again last week, but he doesn’t see the need for another car wash in that area.

“Unless the right thing comes along there’s not going to be anything out there but our cars still,” Mecum said.

The village’s Administration and Finance Committee reviewed plans for the two new business districts on Monday. They would go before the village board for approval on Aug. 19. The village would still need to enter into separate redevelopment agreements after to determine how sales tax revenue may be used by developers for improvements.

The Speedway Auto Mall business district encompasses that property. The second TIF generally runs northeast of Perryville and West Lane roads near the Showplace 14 movie theater complex and the future Rockford Community Bank.

“The area in front of the theater is susceptible to chronic flooding,” Richter said. “That’s what helped make this eligible for this type of financial assistance. If they wanted to bring a number of significant users out there at this time, they’d have some significant engineering to do before they could accomplish that.”

Ritcher said the business district is needed to stay competitive in part because across the street in Loves Park the redevelopment of the Rockford Speedway property is aided by incentives from a business development district and tax-increment finance district.

“By putting this business district in place, it lets us stay competitive with the sites that are available across the street,” Richter said. “The village and the developer have agreed to remain flexible so the area can be designed to meet the demand for services and retailers who may be coming to our community.”

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas